Getting Back After Having a Baby

As my son approaches 2, I reflect back on his short time here on this Earth and also my time as a parent.  I can't help but think about my wife, and the challenges she faced getting back to an active lifestyle she was accustomed to.  It took over a year for her to 'get it all back.' 

Since then, I have seen many postpartum women that come in with various aches and pains and it always takes me back to seeing my wife with belly out to here (extend hand away from body).  Needless to say, having a baby takes a major toll on your body, both physically and mentally.

So while I may not have had a child myself, I worked in a women's health clinic in the past, treated many postpartum patients over the years, and now seeing it all first hand, here are my tips, with links, to getting it all back.

So, I googled 'postpartum core exercises' and here are some of the top findings, with my professional, and personal, feedback:

• Core Exercise Solutions by Sarah
  • some really great information, however I would re-number or prioitze her list a little differently...
    • 1. Diaphragmtic Breathing: always important.  Guy, girl, pregnant, not, young, old...you get the point...This point is VERY underrated
    • 2. Core: your kid totally stretched out your tummy, specifically your transverse abdominis (TA), and, with some crazy hormones and time, exercise can help put it all back.
    • 3. Glutes: isn't it always about the glutes?
• ​6 Exercise for Rebuiliding your Core after Pregnancy
  • not that big of a fan.  I found the exercises she chose were on the advanced side,  This article lacked a progression, plus the form in some of her pictures was no bueno.
• Restore Your Core: Progressive Exercises for Post-Pregnancy
  • a great article with great progression.  The only thing I felt lacking is a deeper talk about pelvic tilts, the basic building block of all core exercises

What's a Pelvic Tilt?

​Lay on your back.  Knees bent, feet flat.  press your low back flat on the ground without pressing through your feet....and keep breathing.

This is an anterior pelvic tilt. I can drive a train under my low back. This tightens the low back muscles and turns off the deep core muscles (TA).

This is a posterior pelvic tilt. THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT. Press low back flat into the ground, tighten deep abs and KEEP BREATHING!

​Here is my (quick) playbook for getting stronger after having a baby:

1. start with pelvic tilts the first week or so.  Start with 10, 1 sec holds a couple times a day.  Build up hold times, rep counts, and sets as you feel stronger.
2. Once you can do 3 x 10 of 10 sec pelvic tilts, you can move on and layer more complex movement like bridges, clam shells, marching, heel slides (see the last link).  You can even begin doing these on hands and knees.  Pelvic tilt/holds then layer on kicking back, donkey kicks, etc.
3. At the same time above, you can begin mini squats, making sure at the top of your squat to lock knees, squeeze glutes, and tighten low abs (TA).  Deepen the squat, increase the reps and sets as you feel stronger.

I love to hear feedback! Hope this help some mamas out there!

​Dominick